Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Zalsasweet.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a cut flower Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Zalsasweetxe2x80x99.
The new Alstroemeria is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillegom, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new cut flower Alstroemeria cultivars with desirable flower and plant qualities, attractive flower colors and excellent postproduction longevity.
The new Alstroemeria originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 1997 in Hillegom, The Netherlands, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 95705-5, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 96391-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands in May, 1998.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by root divisions taken in a controlled environment in Hillegom, The Netherlands, since September, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
Plants of the cultivar Zalsasweet have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Zalsasweetxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Zalsasweetxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Erect and strong flowering stems.
2. Vigorous growth habit.
3. Pink and yellow bi-colored flowers with few to no stripes.
4. Good postproduction longevity.
Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had longer flowering stems than plants of the female parent selection.
2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the female parent selection differed in flower color.
Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had shorter flowering stems than plants of the male parent selection.
2. Inner perianths of plants of the new Alstroemeria were virtually without stripes, however inner perianths of plants of the male parent selection had numerous stripes.
Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the cultivar Stabec, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,041. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the cultivar Stabec in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Stabec.
2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had pink and yellow bi-colored flowers that were virtually without stripes whereas plants of the cultivar Stabec had red and white bi-colored flowers with stripes.
3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had shorter peduncles than plants of the cultivar Stabec.